Hart Sawyer & The Love Project to headline Terrapin Pink event

Reporter

Hart Sawyer & The Love Project will headline Athens Goes Pink at Terrapin on Friday and Sawyer said the show is a meaningful one, because she herself has been affected by cancer.

“My grandmother dealt with it and I overcame a type of cancer myself,” Sawyer said. “So anytime I have the opportunity to be a part of something like this, I try to. I believe in surviving, willpower, having a strong mindset and believing in healing.”

Food for the event will be provided by Biggum’s BBQ & Streets Cafe while Hart Sawyer & The Love Project offer a live performance.

“I write everything and try to put something positive in my music,” said Sawyer. “I play the piano, too, and try to include more dancy, upbeat music.”

Sawyer, who calls Athens her home, said that the city’s creative atmosphere makes it a great outlet for her music.

“It’s such a beautiful town ... I am all about playing to be a part of something positive and Athens is really a music bubble,” Sawyer said. “It has allowed me to grow and connect with other musicians. Athens has been a wonderful place for me to flourish and I will always rock red and black for sure.”

Sawyer described her style as being an array of quirky and positive tunes intertwined with epic orchestral ballads.

Accompanying Sawyer are a percussionist, guitarist, bassist and cellist.

Two different pre-sale tickets are available now at OnlineAthens.com, priced at either $15 or $17.

Ticket purchases will both include a commemorative glass, Athens Goes Pink koozie, eight tasting tickets and entry into a general prize drawing.

The $17 ticket allows for entry into a grand-prize drawing.

A portion of each ticket sale will go to the One Day for Mammogram program.

“There should be tents and other fundraising activities,” Sawyer said. “Just good music, good company and good brew.”

Other activities at the event include a “Kids Korner” with Up, Up, & Away Balloons and various child-friendly activities, a specialty “pink” cask of beer and a candle luminary ceremony.

Athens Goes Pink is a campaign held in October, observed as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, to raise awareness and funds in the fight against breast cancer, while also benefiting the Athens community by providing free mammograms to uninsured women who cannot afford the benefits of potential early detection.

Through partnerships with Athens Regional Medical Center, St. Mary’s Health Care System and Athens Diagnostic Center, 138 women received free mammograms last year from the One Day for Mammograms project through the Athens Goes Pink Campaign.

“I think any struggle or pain we go through, we project it somewhere,” Sawyer said. “And so music is my projection. Like I’m saying ‘Hey, I have learned this lesson,’ it’s food for thought and offers others ideas about healing. It’s uplifting. I just have a heart for the people. That’s the whole point. Making a positive impact on the people.”